I thot it would be interesting to start a thread on adrenal fatigue alternative treatments. Seems like the subject of adrenal fatigue come up fairly often.

This article on Dr. Mercola site has an overview of adrenal function, which is interesting. One thing I didn't know is that it can be bad for the liver to take DHEA orally. There is a pop up window that shows up after a little bit of reading the site, but you can click it to close and continue reading.

Another alternative treatment for adrenal fatigue is ginseng, the herb. I am not sure if it helps both sexes or not tho.

I believe it is best to avoid caffeine if you are dealing with adrenal fatigue personally.

The hormone creams that it seems may be helpful are DHEA, pregnenolone and progesterone. They do say to take break from using these hormone creams once a month.

Anyhow, these are some products and info on possible alternative adrenal fatigue treatments. Just curious if anyone else has recommendations or discussion related to alternative treatments for it. I am not an expert on this subject, but maybe with our collective minds we can get some better understanding.

I take oral dhea - a very low dose. Much lower than most supplament strengths you see at health found stores.

I use progesterone cream half the month.

I take adrenal cortex - two big pills. Timing depends on how my cortisol runs...when it peaks.

One of the biggest factors for better adrenal performance for me is a minimum level of t3, along with a good ratio of rt3. Then, not fasting - eating sufficient protein with meals...and eating them on time. And finally, sleep. I need 7+ hours/night.

I've never been diagnosed with adrenal fatigue, but I was starting to get symptoms of thyroid issues that were likely related to the pre-menopause hormonal roller-coaster that was going on inside my body. Menopause can wreak havoc on the thyroid and also wear out the adrenal glands so I started taking an adrenal support supplement along with a thyroid support supplement. (I didn't yet know at the time that I also had Celiac.) They really made me feel better and my hormonal, pre-menopausal craziness has even calmed down.

Ashwangandha is one herb that my functional medicine nurse says is always in the adrenal supports that work for her patients. I need to follow this thread. I currently take a Metagenics adrenal support. I am diffusing ylang ylang, clary sage, and geranium for progesterone half of the month. I couldn't use the cream as they bloated me up. I think I am having mild dehydration and I feel it may be related to the adrenal struggle.

My nurse has an osteopathic doctor to back her. He said that 30+ years of celiac would stress a body, even with no other stress to this life.

I refused to be tested for the adrenal gland last visit, I said that if I wouldn't do anything different, I wouldn't test. I am rethinking this since when I turned of the progesterone, I missed it terribly. My nurse says that she thinks my body is stealing the progesterone to use for cortisol. My thought is that I want to know more about this.

I also had my thyroid tested. This in spite of the MD saying that if TSH is normal one doesn't need to test the others on the panel. Those results are pending.

I thought my adrenals were quite better with the support, and they are. However, it sure seems like I still have issues.

Please anyone know what test you would get for adrenal function? I go back to see the nurse in Feb. She will tell me, but I always like to think things through first.

Adrenal fatigue is a term applied to a collection of nonspecific symptoms, such as body aches, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disturbances and digestive problems. The term often shows up in popular health books and on alternative medicine websites, but it isn't an accepted medical diagnosis.

The Hormone Foundation, the public education affiliate of The Endocrine Society, has produced two new fact sheets to dispel myths about so-called “diseases” popularized through the Internet: adrenal fatigue and Wilson’s temperature syndrome

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"Children in a family are like flowers in a bouquet: there's always one determined to face in an opposite direction from the way the arranger desires."~Marcelene Cox

Adrenal fatigue is a term applied to a collection of nonspecific symptoms, such as body aches, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disturbances and digestive problems. The term often shows up in popular health books and on alternative medicine websites, but it isn't an accepted medical diagnosis.

Karen, I assure you that many of us, especially with thyroid conditions, have overtaxed adrenals.

I didn't believe it either....but I'll be damned, the support stuff I do and the supplaments I take DO make a difference. Now, do they make a difference because "stuff" is off - hormones, glucose, thyroid, etc. Yes. But while you work on those things (and sometimes boosting both is necessary long-term) you better bet adrenal support can make you or break you.

Adrenals just don't produce adrenaline....they produce hormones. Post menopause they become even more important.

And here's an article geared towards thyroid patients. In my case, I've had steroid shots/pills which negatively affected my adrenals. I was stuck in an overstimulated state for almost a week. I'd get flashbacks/surges/attacks when emotionally upset up to six months after stopping the steroids. Was it Addison's? No. But it was bad. I still have effects. Of course, being gluten-free has helped but the best help was getting on the right track with my thyroid. I hope to get off adrenal support at some point....

Karen, I assure you that many of us, especially with thyroid conditions, have overtaxed adrenals.

I didn't believe it either....but I'll be damned, the support stuff I do and the supplaments I take DO make a difference. Now, do they make a difference because "stuff" is off - hormones, glucose, thyroid, etc. Yes. But while you work on those things (and sometimes boosting both is necessary long-term) you better bet adrenal support can make you or break you.

Adrenals just don't produce adrenaline....they produce hormones. Post menopause they become even more important.

And here's an article geared towards thyroid patients. In my case, I've had steroid shots/pills which negatively affected my adrenals. I was stuck in an overstimulated state for almost a week. I'd get flashbacks/surges/attacks when emotionally upset up to six months after stopping the steroids. Was it Addison's? No. But it was bad. I still have effects. Of course, being gluten-free has helped but the best help was getting on the right track with my thyroid. I hope to get off adrenal support at some point....

For sure this can happen with steroid use. I'm thinking it may be part of my ongoing issues. I have been on oral steroids 5 times in the last 1 1/2 years plus had shots plus had it through my IV (my asthma was very bad and very difficult to control) after this cardiology testing is done, if it doesn't show anything, my GP is referring me to an endocrinologist for a complete work up. Now they never mention "adrenal fatigue" which I do agree with Karen may be a term used in alternative medicine, but I could very well be suffering from true adrenal problems

For sure this can happen with steroid use. I'm thinking it may be part of my ongoing issues. I have been on oral steroids 5 times in the last 1 1/2 years plus had shots plus had it through my IV (my asthma was very bad and very difficult to control) after this cardiology testing is done, if it doesn't show anything, my GP is referring me to an endocrinologist for a complete work up. Now they never mention "adrenal fatigue" which I do agree with Karen may be a term used in alternative medicine, but I could very well be suffering from true adrenal problems

MD's don't say 'adrenal fatigue', they say something like 'temporary overstimulation' or 'not functioning as well as it could, but nothing to worry about'. Or 'temporary side effect of x med or condition'. Then they shove another med down your throat or say "everything looks normal, go see a shrink".

I will not argue that some alternative docs are wack jobs.... And some are fabulous. I could say the same for MD's. Of course, my view is probably skewed because I live in Thyroidland...and must MD's are in denial over the latest research (long story of what 'standard of care - unrevised' can do to a huge group of patients).

What is interesting, though is that the same website you link to mentions all the adrenal conditions, but there is nothing called adrenal fatigue listed there.

I'd like to just share my own experience for any readers of the thread.

**Please note: I am not knocking any of your experiences, okay. People get so upset when an opposing position is presented.

This is a forum and we discuss things here. It's not personal and I am not saying "I am right and you are wrong".

**I feel as if I have to make that disclaimer lately.

Okay...

Adrenal fatigue is the darling of the alternative med world.

I was told that was what I had, too. Given all kinds of supplements to take (including all the ones you guys have mentioned)

Did the "spit test", cortisol test, hormone test, blah blah blah....She had me taking about 12 "adrenal and thyroid" support supplements as well as progesterone cream..

Wish I had all that money back.

Then she thought it was Wilson's syndrome. Nope.

This was an ND I saw for a year and I also heard the same spiel from an "integrative med" doctor, highly respected and the director of a large clinic.Once I saw he was peddling the same theory to me, I stopped giving him $$ for nothing too. They were both wrong.

It wasn't adrenal fatigue. It was undiagnosed celiac.

I take NOTHING and all my various hormones work perfectly fine and yes, I am post menopausal. Not by choice, by early hysterectomy.

I do not even have the Hashimoto's thyroiditis the Endo said I would need to take "meds for life" to treat. A recent medical article in Living Without Magazine quotes Dr. Green as saying a good number of people are told they have a thyroid condition when in fact, they do not have AI thyroid disease, but that the thyroid is suppressed when the body is ill from untreated celiac. The thyroid can rebound, just like the adrenals.

Some conditions actually do reverse, in time, off gluten. But if someone starts supplementing without any kind of supervision or monitoring

then how on earth can you know for sure what works and what doesn't?. You really can't. Too many variables.

“If idiots could fly, the sky would be like an airport.”― Laura Davenport

"Do or do not. There is no try. "- Yoda.

"LTES" Gem 2014

Misdiagnosed for 25+ years; Finally Diagnosed with Celiac 11/01/10. Double DQ2 genes. This thing tried to kill me. I view Celiac as a fire breathing dragon --and I have run my sword right through his throat.I. Win.

Just my .02 - FWIW... I don't really see "adrenal fatigue" as a diagnosis. I see it as having tired adrenals. Maybe not worn out to the point where the doctors could pinpoint that something is wrong... but there are signs that things are headed that way. I do agree that getting tested for more serious ailments and consulting with a doctor is important - but when they have no answers and just want to wait until you're sick enough for them to have a drug to prescibe that's when I turn to natural remedies to keep from getting to that point. It's unfortunate that there has not been nearly the amount of research and testing performed on natural remedies and supplements that there has been on prescription drugs and synthetic chemicals - no money in it for the pharmaceutical companies I guess. But I for one am not going to wait around for the medical profession to recognize that sometimes certain foods or certain supplements can turn a body around to good health. I'll be long dead before that happens.

Just my .02 - FWIW... I don't really see "adrenal fatigue" as a diagnosis. I see it as having tired adrenals. Maybe not worn out to the point where the doctors could pinpoint that something is wrong... but there are signs that things are headed that way. I do agree that getting tested for more serious ailments and consulting with a doctor is important - but when they have no answers and just want to wait until you're sick enough for them to have a drug to prescibe that's when I turn to natural remedies to keep from getting to that point. It's unfortunate that there has not been nearly the amount of research and testing performed on natural remedies and supplements that there has been on prescription drugs and synthetic chemicals - no money in it for the pharmaceutical companies I guess. But I for one am not going to wait around for the medical profession to recognize that sometimes certain foods or certain supplements can turn a body around to good health. I'll be long dead before that happens.

What does " fatigue" or " tired" even mean when applied to a body organ? Whole organisms get tired and need a nap or more iron or more exercise. Sometimes we use these phrases to help us understand better - " Grandmas heart just got tired, Honey". But her heart isn't " tired" it has age related issues or arterial blockage.

Supplement all you want - it's your money and your body. However, please don't jump to " adrenal fatigue" for every new poster or person who feels " tired". Not everything is because of celiac and not everything is about "adrenal fatigue."

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"Children in a family are like flowers in a bouquet: there's always one determined to face in an opposite direction from the way the arranger desires."~Marcelene Cox

Thanks KarenG for pointing out that adrenal fatigue is not a recognized condition by the medical establishment. I forgot to put that in my initial post. You are 100% right and it is wise to consider that fact. There is a real issue there. Since adrenal fatigue is not a recognized medical condition, there is room for hucksters and frauds to take people's money and profit off their symptoms. There is also the possibility that people may spend months using alternative treatments while they are actually suffering from some other cause. Perhaps we can come up with some ideas for testing or known/suspected symptoms in this thread.

Perhaps together we can avoid the charletans and find some reasonable ways to proceed. Maybe we will conclude at some point that the medical establishment is right, and adrenal fatigue doesn't exist. I don't have any financial involvement with any of the products I mentioned.

I think it could be helpful for us to share ideas about the idea of adrenal fatigue here. I have seen it mentioned a number of times on the forum and it doesn't seem to be going away.

Thanks KarenG for pointing out that adrenal fatigue is not a recognized condition by the medical establishment. I forgot to put that in my initial post. You are 100% right and it is wise to consider that fact. There is a real issue there. Since adrenal fatigue is not a recognized medical condition, there is room for hucksters and frauds to take people's money and profit off their symptoms. There is also the possibility that people may spend months using alternative treatments while they are actually suffering from some other cause. Perhaps we can come up with some ideas for testing or known/suspected symptoms in this thread.
Perhaps together we can avoid the charletans and find some reasonable ways to proceed. Maybe we will conclude at some point that the medical establishment is right, and adrenal fatigue doesn't exist. I don't have any financial involvement with any of the products I mentioned.
I think it could be helpful for us to share ideas about the idea of adrenal fatigue here. I have seen it mentioned a number of times on the forum and it doesn't seem to be going away.

It is mentioned a lot and I think we need to be careful jumping to these fad diagnosis. It's making me " tired".

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"Children in a family are like flowers in a bouquet: there's always one determined to face in an opposite direction from the way the arranger desires."~Marcelene Cox

A couple more thoughts for you all. My hubs has had Addison's for over 20 years now. At diagnosis, he was close to death in the hospital before they figured it out, his gland was barely functional . He has taken Hydrocort and Fludricort for this disease since diagnosis.

Point. When you medicate or suppliment the Adrenal Gland, the gland then starts to use this supplimentation. The gland will stop producing more because it is being helped. It will NOT increase it's functionality while being helped. This is my understanding from discussions with his Endocrinologist ( a Doctor who treats the endocrine system. )

When your body is sick or stressed it will pull cortisol to help get it through. This is NORMAL. If your body has been sick for some time, you will feel like crap. All your body will be stressed and struggling to function. This in NORMAL. Once your body has rebounded your body systems will level out and start to work well again. If you start supplimenting all these body systems your body does not know that it must continue to heal. Make Sense?

Just to clarify. This point is about the Adrenal Gland and common sense about the body functions. I am also not saying that there are not times that supplimenting is needed.